Reporter’s Notebook: Senate revotes today on ending government shutdown
The government shutdown will not end today. However, the Senate will vote for a sixth time on a set of test votes to break a filibuster on competing Democratic and Republican plans. They need 60 votes. The votes hit in the late morning or midday. There are mild, informal bipartisan talks about ending the shutdown among senators, but Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., says they are at an impasse. OMINOUS RED AND ORANGE SKIES HAD CAPITOL HILL TAKE NOTICE AS SHUTDOWN LOOMED Lawmakers from both sides are now fretting about the potential of furloughed workers not receiving back pay. President Donald Trump floated that idea yesterday. However, both House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appeared to believe that workers would receive back pay. Johnson signaled an openness to passing a special bill to pay service members and air traffic controllers. But that would require the House to return to session. Johnson has vowed to keep the House out until Senate Democrats accept the GOP funding package. A senior House GOP leadership source doubted that Johnson would bring the House back before the shutdown ends. The deadline to pay the military and air traffic controllers is Oct. 13. SENATE REPUBLICANS CONFIRM MORE THAN 100 TRUMP NOMINEES AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES Meanwhile, lawmakers from both sides are increasingly worried about absences in the aviation sector and how that could impact safety. Don’t forget that aviation issues are what ended the 2018-2019 government shutdown. There are also concerns about farm payments, which impact tens of millions of acres in the U.S. The shutdown exacerbates this situation because Congress is two years behind on approving a farm bill. Also, some Republicans are increasingly open to addressing the Democratic push for ObamaCare subsidies. That’s the main holdout for Democrats. Republicans have spent the past 16 years arguing against ObamaCare. Now the unthinkable is happening: Some Republicans are advocating for increased subsidies under ObamaCare.
Vulnerable Harris-district Republican brings in more than $1M as Dems scramble to flip seat
FIRST ON FOX: One of only two House Republicans serving in districts won by former Vice President Kamala Harris last year is preparing to announce that he’s brought in more than $1 million in the latest fundraising quarter. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., one of Democrats’ top targets in the 2026 midterms, will announce later on Wednesday that he’s raised $1.1 million in the third quarter of 2025. His campaign said it was the strongest third quarter the moderate House Republican has had in a non-election year. Lawler’s campaign spokesman Chris Russell told Fox News Digital that the numbers show “our message is winning, and our ground game is unmatched.” TRUMP FRONT-AND-CENTER IN THESE 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNS Russell went on to suggest part of Lawler’s platform is campaigning on the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” passed by Republicans earlier this year, and which Democrats have been messaging hard against. “While our opponents trip over themselves to appease a far-left base, Mike Lawler is building a coalition of working families, labor, law enforcement, Republicans, independents and mainstream Democrats who are fed up with chaos politics and radical extremists,” Lawler’s spokesman said. “Congressman Lawler delivered on SALT, secured historic tax relief for middle and working-class families and will keep focusing on commonsense solutions that make life more affordable and Hudson Valley communities safer.” His $1.1 million haul means Lawler’s campaign ended the quarter with $2.8 million cash on hand, and $3.9 million raised for the 2026 election cycle so far. HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE 2025 ELECTIONS Lawler’s district includes suburbs just outside New York City, which were critical to the GOP’s winning and then retaining the House in the 2022 and 2024 elections. New York’s 17th Congressional District, which he represents, is currently rated +1 in favor of Democrats by the non-partisan Cook Political Report. The competitive seat has already attracted eight Democrats for a crowded primary to take on Lawler in next year’s general election, but it appears he has outraised at least several of them. Army veteran Cait Conley raised over $500,000 in the third quarter, former Briarcliff Manor Mayor Peter Chatzky raised over $340,000, and Rockland County legislator Beth Davidson raised $370,000, according to Politico Playbook New York. Democrats nationwide are betting big on their base being energized in response to President Donald Trump and his policies, a gamble that paid off for the left in the 2018 midterms when they swept the House of Representatives. But this cycle, New York Republicans have been able to seize on their own boogeyman in Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, the current frontrunner for mayor of New York City. Lawler told Fox News Digital of Mamdani’s candidacy in June, “Frankly, for Democrats, this is a time for choosing. Do they align themselves with a radical socialist who engages in antisemitism, hates the police, believes that illegal immigrants should have free everything, and you know, is basically going to destroy the finances of New York City?” “They can’t have it both ways,” he said at the time.
Government shutdown 101: We’ve been here before, here’s what happens next
At 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the federal government entered its first shutdown since 2018, after two competing funding proposals, one from Democrats and another from Republicans, failed in the Senate. The setback deepened the stalemate, with neither side showing willingness to concede. Though once uncommon, government shutdowns have grown more frequent in recent decades as political brinkmanship has become a hallmark of budget negotiations. Since 1976, the U.S. government has experienced 20 shutdowns. The most recent one, the longest in U.S. history, occurred when a dispute over funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall halted government operations for 34 days, spanning from December 2018 into January 2019. HOPES DIM IN PREDICTION MARKETS AS TRADERS BET GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WILL DRAG ON FOR WEEKS Trump on Monday evening blamed Democratic lawmakers for the shutdown, saying he’d be “happy to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies” once the government reopens. “Democrats have SHUT DOWN the United States government right in the midst of one of the most successful economies, including a record stock market, that our country has ever had,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This has sadly affected so many programs, services, and other elements of society that Americans rely on — and it should not have happened.” “I am happy to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our government to re-open,” he added. TRUMP SAYS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LAYOFFS ARE ‘UP TO’ DEMS AS STANDOFF CONTINUES Previous government shutdowns have tended to be more about political drama than economic disruption, with markets and jobs recovering quickly afterward. However, this shutdown, stretching into its first week, comes as the Trump administration warns that furloughs across the federal government could become permanent. Typically, furloughs are temporary; once Congress resolves the standoff, employees return to work and receive back pay. On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt again placed responsibility for the potential mass layoffs on Democrats, echoing the administration’s stance on the shutdown. “This conversation about layoffs would not be happening right now if the Democrats did not vote to shut the government down,” Leavitt said.
Trump says Chicago mayor, Illinois governor ‘should be in jail for failing to protect’ ICE officers
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, both Democrats, should be jailed for failing to defend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. “Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump’s remark came after Texas National Guard troops arrived in Illinois on Tuesday to protect federal personnel and property amid anti-immigration protests. “I will not back down. Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?” Pritzker said in reaction to Trump on Wednesday. CHICAGO MAYOR CREATES ‘ICE-FREE ZONES’ TO BLOCK FEDERAL AGENTS FROM CITY PROPERTY “His masked agents already are grabbing people off the street. Separating children from their parents. Creating fear. Taking people for ‘how they look.’” Pritzker added in a thread on X. “Making people feel they need to carry citizenship papers. Invading our state with military troops. Sending in war helicopters in the middle of the night. Arresting elected officials asking questions.” “We must all stand up and speak out,” Pritzker declared. Fox News Digital also reached out to Johnson’s office for comment. A Pentagon official said 200 guardsmen were mobilized for an initial 60-day period. Troops arrived in Illinois “in support of the Federal Protection Mission to protect federal functions, personnel, and property,” according to a Pentagon statement. PRITZKER SUES TRUMP TO BLOCK NATIONAL GUARD ACTION IN ILLINOIS About a dozen people have been arrested near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, where anti-immigration crowds have been gathering for days. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Saturday that additional special operations personnel would be deployed to Illinois after federal agents were rammed and boxed in by 10 cars. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson reiterated on Tuesday he believes the deployment is “illegal, unconstitutional, dangerous and wrong.” Pritzker and Johnson also filed a lawsuit Monday to block the Trump administration from deploying hundreds of National Guard troops from Illinois and Texas in Chicago and surrounding cities. Fox News’ Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Turning Point Montana State event featuring Ramaswamy, Gianforte draws thousands
Turning Point USA (TPUSA) drew thousands in Bozeman, Montana, on Tuesday night as part of its “This is the Turning Point” tour honoring Charlie Kirk. The event, hosted at Montana State University, featured Montana Gov. Greg Giantforte and Vivek Ramaswamy, who answered a series of questions from the crowd in typical Kirk fashion. Gianforte also led the arena in prayer before launching into his speech. Ramaswamy passionately defended freedom of speech during his time on stage as well, declaring that debate without censorship should be available to everyone, “from Nick Fuentes to Alex Jones to Jimmy Kimmel.” “It means that words are not violence, that violence is violence,” Ramaswamy said. “And violence is never an acceptable response to words. It’s not just about our constitutional principles. That’s America. That’s who we are.” CHARLIE KIRK HONORED BY 90K IN ONE OF THE LARGEST MEMORIALS FOR A PRIVATE CITIZEN Gianforte hailed Kirk for being self-educated, noting that the conservative activist was not a college graduate. “He disciplined himself to learn economics, history, philosophy, theology. He read what the great minds had written. He studied the Bible, and then he challenged what he learned against the thoughts of others who disagreed with him in respectful debate,” Gianforte said. CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH GALVANIZES BLUE STATE STUDENT TO STOP ‘HIDING’ HER FAITH, POLITICAL BELIEFS TPUSA launched its “This is the Turning Point” tour in the days after Kirk’s assassination. So far, the tour has visited Utah, Montana and other states. Despite his young age, Kirk had become a giant in the conservative movement and was a key facet of President Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory. He founded Turning Point USA in 2012 as an 18-year-old with encouragement from Tea Party activist Bill Montgomery. TPUSA has seen a massive surge in popularity in the weeks following Kirk’s death. The organization said it received 120,000 inquiries from people wanting to start new campus chapters in just four days after the Sept. 10 assassination. Currently, TPUSA operates 900 official college chapters and approximately 1,200 high school chapters. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Kirk’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Arizona was headlined by political heavyweights, religious leaders and conservative media figures. Trump credited Kirk for galvanizing young Republican voters, helping him secure the presidency in 2024. Fox News’ Rachel Del Guidice contributed to this report.
ObamaCare subsidies at center of Dem shutdown fight ‘fuel’ healthcare cost inflation, conservatives say
The government has been shut down for a week and so far shows no clear sign of stopping, as Democrats continue to demand that any funding bill include an extension of enhanced ObamaCare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. But conservative groups are pushing back hard, arguing that those subsidies are fuel on the fire of higher healthcare premiums. “What the Biden COVID credit did is they made the situation worse in two ways: They shifted a portion of the premium away from the enrollees to the taxpayer, and they brought more people into the subsidy structure by lifting the cap at four times the poverty line,” Brian Blase, president of Paragon Health Institute, told Fox News Digital. “So if the underlying ObamaCare subsidies were inflationary, then the Biden enhancements to it just pour fuel on that underlying inflationary structure.” SCHUMER’S SHUTDOWN SCHEME EXPLAINED: DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON OBAMACARE CREDITS AS STANDOFF DRAGS ON ObamaCare, formally called the Affordable Care Act (ACA), established a marketplace where healthcare insurers offer plans under certain rules set in place by the federal government, among other provisions. People and families are eligible for subsidies based on their income relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Former President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, passed during the COVID-19 pandemic, expanded access so more Americans could qualify for subsidized ObamaCare plans while also lowering out-of-pocket costs. A Democrat-led Congress later extended those benefits to 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, however, Democrats are warning that many Americans’ healthcare costs are at risk of drastically rising if those enhanced subsidies are allowed to expire. But conservative groups who have long objected to ObamaCare’s effects on the market are now arguing that the subsidies themselves have driven up the amount of money that healthcare companies charge for premiums. Brittany Madni, executive vice president at the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), told Fox News Digital, “You do have patients who are still continuing to pay high prices, and a huge reason that they’re paying higher prices is because the entire system has been artificially inflated by the unaffordable mandates in ObamaCare and the continued subsidies.” “The supersized COVID credit subsidies aren’t reducing prices whatsoever. They’re just adding funds to the insurance revenues,” Madni said. ObamaCare did originally include a federal-level tax penalty for Americans who remained uninsured after its passage. That was repealed under the first Trump administration, but some states have levied their own penalties in its place. But conservatives say rising healthcare costs have been most acutely felt by U.S. taxpayers rather than ObamaCare enrollees. “When insurers increase premiums, the cost is not paid by the enrollee, it’s paid by the taxpayer. So that gives insurers less incentive to negotiate lower prices with healthcare providers,” he said. He said Biden’s legislation “made the situation worse because you make the taxpayer share even greater than it already was, and he lifted the cap at four times the poverty line, which brought more people into this subsidized market. So when you have all these people in a market where they don’t care what the premiums are, that is, of course, going to be inflationary.” Madni agreed that the COVID-era subsidies served to increase costs on taxpayers. “What do you do if someone who is younger and healthier is choosing not to go into the risk pool and therefore driving up the overall cost of the risk, all because now it’s just full of sick people instead of healthy people in the middle?” You offer the plans for such a low rate that it seems silly not to jump into the deal,” she said. “You can’t actually get rid of the cost. You can only shift the cost. So it shifts from the enrollees who are in the risk pool to taxpayers.” House Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., whose committee has jurisdiction over the enhanced subsidies, told Fox News Digital, “Democrats are doubling down on their failure to reduce the cost of healthcare, with premiums for ObamaCare marketplace plans increasing 80% since they were created a decade ago.” “When it comes to healthcare, Americans are paying more but getting less, paying higher deductibles, having their claims denied, and unable to see their doctor while insurers profit from generous taxpayer subsidies handed to them by Washington Democrats,” Smith said. But outside conservative circles, people in the healthcare sphere argue that Americans will feel financial pain if the subsidies expire and deny the COVID-era enhancements’ contribution to inflated prices. Cynthia Cox, who oversees ObamaCare research for KFF — an independent health policy research, polling and news organization — said that extending the subsidies would cost more taxpayer dollars but that they did not raise costs for insurers or enrollees. “I think from a taxpayer perspective or from a federal spending perspective, they certainly do raise costs,” Cox said. “But from an insurance perspective, they bring down average cost and, from an enrollee perspective, it also brings down the cost that they’re paying.” Cox also said the ACA itself did have some “inflationary” aspects but that the COVID-era enhancements were not part of them. DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO BUDGE OVER OBAMACARE FIGHT AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON “The tax credits do not have an inflationary effect on insurance premiums. In fact, they help keep they have a downward effect on insurance and the amount that the insurance company is charging,” Cox told Fox News Digital. She pointed to the ACA’s protections for people with preexisting conditions, such as bans on insurance companies denying coverage or charging more based on individuals’ health, as potential drivers of healthcare cost inflation. “But then the tax cuts are meant to kind of offset that by reducing how much individuals pay and subsidizing them,” Cox explained. “The idea is that it will make health insurance more attractive to healthier people, so therefore would not wait until they get sick to get coverage. They would start paying into the insurance pool when
White House blames Dems for potential WIC lapse, announces ‘creative solution’ to keep program running
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump has authorized a plan to use tariff revenue to keep the WIC nutrition program running during the government shutdown, vowing the administration “will not allow mothers and children to go hungry.” In a post on X, Leavitt accused Democrats of “cruelly voting to shut down the government,” saying their actions forced the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, to run out of funds this week. Leavitt added that Trump had directed officials to tap Section 232 tariff revenue to sustain WIC. The White House confirmed to Fox News that the plan is a short-term “creative solution” developed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). TRUMP’S WEEK IN REVIEW: SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWNS AND ARMED CARTEL CONFLICT “The Trump White House will not allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry because of the Democrats’ political games,” Leavitt said in a statement. How much tariff money will be used has not yet been disclosed, but the infusion is expected to cover costs “for the foreseeable future.” The program had been projected to exhaust its funds within weeks. WIC provides vouchers for healthy food, breastfeeding assistance and nutrition education to roughly 6 million low-income women and children nationwide. WHITE HOUSE SAYS FEDERAL LAYOFFS COULD HIT ‘THOUSANDS’ AHEAD OF TRUMP, VOUGHT MEETING The federal government spent more than $7 billion on the program during fiscal 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Democrats have criticized Republicans in past budget fights over WIC eligibility and funding levels, while Republicans blame Democrat resistance to spending restraints for fueling the current shutdown. The White House has not said how long tariff funds will last or whether another infusion would be needed if Congress remains deadlocked. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP An official described the transfer to Axios as a temporary fix to protect vulnerable families while negotiations continue. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s/FOX Business’ request for comment.
Democrat Aftyn Behn advances to special election in battle for vacant congressional seat in deep-red district
Democrats on Tuesday picked their nominee in a special congressional election for a vacant seat in Tennessee. Aftyn Behn, a former healthcare community organizer and current Democrat state representative, captured her party’s nomination, according to The Associated Press. The Dickson County Democratic Party described Behn as “our very own AOC of TN,” in a reference to U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., according to The Tennessee Star. The primary field included three state representatives and a consultant in Tennessee’s solidly red 7th Congressional District. Behn will now be considered the underdog in the Dec. 2 general election in the race to succeed former Republican Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from office in June to take a private sector job. HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE 2025 ELECTIONS President Donald Trump carried the district, which is located in central and western Tennessee and stretches from Kentucky to Alabama, by roughly 20 points in last year’s presidential election. TRUMP FRONT-AND-CENTER IN THESE 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNS Trump’s immense political clout in Republican nomination races faced a test Tuesday in a crowded and competitive GOP primary. This after the president last week endorsed Matt Van Epp, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, and one of 11 names on the ballot in the GOP primary. Van Epp claimed victory on Tuesday. Republicans currently control the House 219-213, with two vacancies: the seat in Tennessee and Texas 18th Congressional District, following the death earlier this year of Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner. Democrat Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won a special congressional election in Arizona last month, has yet to be sworn in.
Trump-backed candidate wins crowded GOP primary in battle for vacant House seat
President Donald Trump’s political muscle in Republican nomination races was on full display Tuesday as a candidate he endorsed last week won a crowded and competitive GOP special election primary for a vacant congressional seat in Tennessee. Trump-backed Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, came out on top in a field of 11 Republican candidates vying to fill the seat in the state’s solidly red 7th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press. Van Epps will now be the favorite in the Dec. 2 general election in the race to succeed former Republican Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from office in June to take a private sector job. Trump’s endorsement of Van Epps in a field that also included state Reps. Jody Barrett, Gino Bulso and Lee Reeves, shaped the outcome of the primary battle even though the president’s backing came after the finish of early voting in the contest. THIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS, FURTHER SHRINKING FRAGILE GOP MAJORITY The race among the major GOP contenders turned into a test of loyalty to Trump, and with the president’s endorsement, Reeves suspended his campaign and backed Van Epps. TRUMP FRONT-AND-CENTER IN THESE 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNS “Matt knows the WISDOM and COURAGE required to Defend our Country, Support our Incredible Military/Veterans, and Ensure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Trump said in his endorsement statement. Van Epps, who was also endorsed by Green and Republican Gov. Bill Lee, called Trump’s support “an incredible honor.” And on Monday night, on the eve of the primary, the president joined Van Epps for a tele-rally that was co-hosted by the politically influential conservative outside group Club for Growth, which also backed Van Epps. HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE 2025 ELECTIONS Trump carried the district, which is located in central and western Tennessee and stretches from Kentucky to Alabama, by roughly 20 points in last year’s presidential election. Van Epps, a lieutenant colonel in the Tennessee Army National Guard and a former Army helicopter pilot, was also backed by prominent House Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. But Barrett, who touted that he is the “most conservative state rep. in Tennessee history,” had the support of the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus, which spent heavily in the primary race. Four major Democrats were running for their party’s nomination. They were state Reps. Vincent Dixie, Aftyn Behn, Bo Mitchell and businessman Darden Copeland. Republicans currently control the House 219-213, with two vacancies: the seat in Tennessee and Texas 18th Congressional District, following the death earlier this year of Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner. Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won a special congressional election in Arizona last month, has yet to be sworn in.
Patel, FBI ‘flex resources’ for Windy City crime crackdown as part of Trump administration’s ‘focused effort’
EXCLUSIVE: As the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts are met with continued resistance in Chicago, FBI Director Kash Patel passionately defended the bureau’s supporting role in the Windy City, telling Fox News Digital that agents are “just doing their job to safeguard the streets.” Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche were on the ground touring the Chicago field office on Tuesday morning and explaining why the FBI needed to “flex resources” to help DHS. “The environment here in Chicago needs a focused effort, not just on crushing violent crime, but also, removing the illegal aliens that are correlated to that violent crime,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “And that’s a result over years of failures in policies by the prior administration to allow so many illegal aliens and so much criminal activity to occur here in Chicago, in the state of Illinois.” BONDI CLASHES WITH DURBIN ON NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT: ‘LOVE CHICAGO AS MUCH AS YOU HATE PRESIDENT TRUMP’ While immigration enforcement isn’t a typical part of the FBI’s job, Patel said that “every single three-letter agency” in the Trump administration is “driving towards the same mission.” He called the concerted campaign a “whole-of-government approach.” And Patel added that the mission goes well beyond immigration enforcement, also touching on narcotics distribution, government officials who are suddenly being targeted for death and agents whose lives are being endangered. Patel lauded the efforts of the officers serving with the Chicago Police Dept., calling them “great partners” and saying “they are doing their job with us every single day.”He drew a stark contrast, however, between the rank-and-file and their bosses.” DHS TAKES ON PRITZKER’S ‘SMORGASBORD OF LIES,’ RELEASES LIST DEBUNKING HIS CLAIMS But they report to the elected leadership,” he said. “And I think it’s our duty to call those out who prioritize illegal immigrants and crime over those that they serve in the city they’re supposed to protect. So I’ll call it out for as long as it takes.” President Donald Trump’s efforts to deploy National Guard troops to protect federal officials and property in Chicago has already been kicked to the courts. But Blanche said it’s clear that the Guard is needed to help clean up the high-crime streets of Chicago. “I mean, at this point, it’s almost laughable, laughable that the state government is standing up and saying, don’t let the National Guard in,” Blanche said. “I mean, they have access to the same TV that I have access to. And of course, we need the National Guard.”